Israel-Iran conflict: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's 'no mercy for Zionists' warning days after assassination threat
Israel started the conflict with a surprise attack on Iran amid the latter's nuclear deal talks with the United States.
As the Iran-Israel conflict inches towards an all-out war, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, vowed on Wednesday that his country will show no mercy to the rulers of its enemy nation. The chilling warning came days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent out an overt assassination threat to Iran's top leader.
"We must give a strong response to the terrorist Zionist regime. We will show the Zionists no mercy," Khamenei posted on X.
Israel started the conflict with a surprise attack on Iran amid the latter's nuclear deal talks with the United States. Over the past few days, hundreds of people have died in Iran. Many of Tehran's salvos breached Israel's Iron Dome defense system, killing at least 24 people.
Also read: Netanyahu says haven't ruled out killing Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Iran also fired hypersonic missiles at Israel on Wednesday.
On Wednesday night, Iran's capital, Tehran, was pounded by Israeli warplanes.
Amid fears of the conflict escalating, with the US also taking an aggressive position, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said that any American intervention would turn out to be a "recipe for an all-out war in the region.” This came after Trump warned of severe repercussions if Iran attacked US military bases in the Middle East.
Israel on Wednesday hit a facility used to make uranium centrifuges and another that made missile components, the Israeli military said. It said it had intercepted 10 missiles overnight as Iran’s retaliatory barrages diminish.
A Washington-based Iranian human rights group said at least 585 people, including 239 civilians, have been killed and more than 1,300 wounded.
Iran has fired some 400 missiles and hundreds of drones in retaliatory strikes, which have wounded hundreds in Israel.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump, who had remained distant from the conflict, has now hinted at more US involvement as he commented that he wants something bigger than a ceasefire. The country has also sent more warplanes to the region.
Israel says it attacked Iran to prevent it from building a nuclear weapon. It killed several of Iran's nuclear scientists and targeted many such facilities across Iran.
Iran is allegedly the only non-nuclear country to enrich uranium up to 60 per cent, which is just short of the weapons-grade element at 90 per cent.
Meanwhile, Trump has demanded Iran's "unconditional surrender". He also warned that the US knows where Khamenei has been hiding. He, however, said there weren't immediate plans to eliminate him.
Thousands of people were fleeing Tehran on Wednesday after Trump said they should leave the capital.
With inputs from Reuters, AFP
